Title

Author

Date Approved

2008

Degree Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

English Language and Literature

Committee Member

Verónica Grondona, PhD, Chair

Committee Member

Lyle Campbell, PhD

Abstract

The Wichí language, a member of the Matacoan language family, is spoken in parts of South America’s Chaco region. Specifically, Wichí is found in the Salta, Chaco, and Formosa provinces of Argentina, as well as in southeastern Bolivia. Wichí is an endangered language, with speakers numbering c. 25,000 (although estimates vary greatly). This study aims to contribute to the documentation of Wichí and to our understanding of human language in general by providing insight into the phonetics and phonology of the dialect of Wichí spoken in the remote village of Misión La Paz, Salta, Argentina. The data for this study were collected in Misión La Paz during two 4-week periods in the summers of 2005 and 2006.